Sacramento Daily Record Union

DODGING DID NO GOOD

Accurate Use of the Pistol by Daring Mountaineers.

Kansas City (Mo.), February 14th.—The story of the killing of General Jem Johnson last Friday afternoon by William Vaughan in the Ozark Mountains, in Douglas county, is particularly interesting as showing the marvelous skill of the Ozark Mountain men in the use of the revolver.

Johnson was a storekeeper in the hamlet of Rome, in Douglas county. He was a drinking man, and when in liquor was quarrelsome. Some years ago Johnson sold a piece of land to Vaughan, and gave a quit-claim deed to it. Johnson had only a tax title to the land, but Vaughan says that the deed was represented as conveying a clear and good title, and he, relying on Johnson's standing as a merchant and business man, accepted the deed as such, only to be ousted by the real owner, who came forward and paid the tax claim. Vaughan was loser to a considerable amount, and the two men had frequent quarrels over the matter.

On last Friday Vaughan was in Rome. After making some purchases he drove off on his way home. Johnson was drinking and anxious for a fight. He heard that Vaughan had been in town and had spoken about the old trouble, and mounting his horse galloped after him, taking another road, so as to head him off, but failed to overtake him until he reached his home.

Vaughan was taking his horses from his wagon as Johnson rode into the yard. Johnson jumped off his horse, picked up a stone, threw it, and hit Vaughan in the side of the head.

Vaughan picked up the same stone and hit Johnson in the mouth. Then Johnson drew his revolver and began firing, but being drunk and unsteady he fired wild.

Vaughan jumped behind a horse at the first shot until he could draw his own pistol, and then jumped out again according to the Ozark code of honor and returned the fire.

Johnson ducked his head as Vaughan aimed, hoping thus to dodge the shot, but got the bullet fair in the top of the head and pitched over on his face. Before he could reach the ground, however, dead in the air as he was, Vaughan fired two more shots, each so near the first that a silver dollar just covered the three holes. The men were twelve steps apart at the time.